NYSE:ARNC).” data-reactid=”28″>Many investors are still learning about the various metrics that can be useful when analysing a stock. This article is for those who would like to learn about Return On Equity (ROE). To keep the lesson grounded in practicality, we’ll use ROE to better understand Arconic Corporation (NYSE:ARNC).
Return on Equity or ROE is a test of how effectively a company is growing its value and managing investors’ money. In short, ROE shows the profit each dollar generates with respect to its shareholder investments.
Check out our latest analysis for Arconic ” data-reactid=”30″>Check out our latest analysis for Arconic
How Is ROE Calculated?
Return on Equity = Net Profit (from continuing operations) ÷ Shareholders’ Equity
So, based on the above formula, the ROE for Arconic is:
13% = US$147m ÷ US$1.2b (Based on the trailing twelve months to June 2020).
The ‘return’ refers to a company’s earnings over the last year. That means that for every $1 worth of shareholders’ equity, the company generated $0.13 in profit.
Does Arconic Have A Good ROE?
One simple way to determine if a company has a good return on equity is to compare it to the average for its industry. However, this method is only useful as a rough check, because companies do differ quite a bit within the same industry classification. If you look at the image below, you can see Arconic has a similar ROE to the average in the Metals and Mining industry classification (11%).
on our platform here.” data-reactid=”55″>So while the ROE is not exceptional, at least its acceptable. Although the ROE is similar to the industry, we should still perform further checks to see if the company’s ROE is being boosted by high debt levels. If a company takes on too much debt, it is at higher risk of defaulting on interest payments. You can see the 3 risks we have identified for Arconic by visiting our risks dashboard for free on our platform here.
How Does Debt Impact Return On Equity?
Virtually all companies need money to invest in the business, to grow profits. That cash can come from retained earnings, issuing new shares (equity), or debt. In the first two cases, the ROE will capture this use of capital to grow. In the latter case, the debt used for growth will improve returns, but won’t affect the total equity. That will make the ROE look better than if no debt was used.
Arconic’s Debt And Its 13% ROE
Arconic does use a high amount of debt to increase returns. It has a debt to equity ratio of 1.10. There’s no doubt its ROE is decent, but the very high debt the company carries is not too exciting to see. Debt does bring extra risk, so it’s only really worthwhile when a company generates some decent returns from it.
Conclusion
Return on equity is useful for comparing the quality of different businesses. A company that can achieve a high return on equity without debt could be considered a high quality business. If two companies have the same ROE, then I would generally prefer the one with less debt.
visualization of analyst forecasts for the company.” data-reactid=”62″>Having said that, while ROE is a useful indicator of business quality, you’ll have to look at a whole range of factors to determine the right price to buy a stock. It is important to consider other factors, such as future profit growth — and how much investment is required going forward. So you might want to check this FREE visualization of analyst forecasts for the company.
free list of interesting companies, that have HIGH return on equity and low debt.” data-reactid=”67″>If you would prefer check out another company — one with potentially superior financials — then do not miss this free list of interesting companies, that have HIGH return on equity and low debt.
Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email [email protected].” data-reactid=”68″>This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.
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